What do you consider Restored

GORDONFAN

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I know I messed up the title. What qualifies a machine to be labled Restored? Reason I'm asking is I looked at a pinball machine listed as restored and I get there and it has a good amount of wear on the playfield and the cabinet was beat to hell. So I ask the guy how he considers it restored and he says "it wasn't working and he got it going ,cleaned it up and put some new rubber rings on it" What the heck? I thought restored meant back to like new condition. Am I wrong?
Glennon

p.s. Needless to say I didn't buy it
 
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I know I messed up the title. What qualifies a machine to be labeled Restored? Reason I'm asking is I looked at a pinball machine listed as restored and I get there and it has a good amount of wear on the play field and the cabinet was beat to hell. So I ask the guy how he considers it restored and he says "it wasn't working and he got it going ,cleaned it up and put some new rubber rings on it" What the heck? I thought restored meant back to like new condition. Am I wrong?
Glennon

p.s. Needless to say I didn't buy it

Well restored is a strong word. With pinballs we do the following
1.Cleaned in side out
2. All boards check and connectors checked and replaced if needed
3. Play field is broke down and cleaned and waxed
4. New rubbers and lights
5. Leg and leg bolts cleaned and polished or painted
6. New leg levelers
7.Paint work on cabinet touched up and a clear coat seal is applied
8. Game is burned in for a couple of days
Video are done this way but I do not like the word restored I only use it in a few listings
1. Cabinet taken apart and is cleaned inside and out
2. Monitor is cleaned and checked and recapped if needed
3. Power supply and PCB's are checked
4. Interlock switches are moved.
5. Leg levelers are replaced if needed.
6. Side art is replaced if we have it or touch up and sealed with a clear coat
7. Fronts are sanded and repainted
8. Coin doors are repainted and new lock installed
9. Control panels are taken apart and cleaned and cleared or replaced if needed

I still do not like to call it restored. The pinball guys are a lot different than the video guys, they are a lot picker.
 
I still do not like to call it restored. The pinball guys are a lot different than the video guys, they are a lot picker.

I agree. Pinball collectors do tend to have a higher standard when it comes to "restoration" but even still very few pinball collectors I know take it to the extreme.

You're never going to get a "restored" game from a retailer unless it's someone like Chris Hutchins who specializes in those kinds of restorations. Not because they're incapable of doing the work but because they would never make any money.

"it wasn't working and he got it going ,cleaned it up and put some new rubber rings on it"

This is actually really common. Even among "collectors"...
 
That guy repaired it. Repaired is NOT restored. Someone should have pointed that out to him.



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It could go either way repairing somthing is essentially restoring it to working condition. If advertised as completely restored thats a different story.
 
Myself, i consider a game restored if it has the following:

1. Cabinet repainted in correct colors
2. New artwork/restenciled
3. Clean, clear monitor bezel
4. New or immaculate CP and Marquee
5. Coin door / marquee brackets repainted
6. new leg levelers
7. Monitor, Power supply, power board rebuilt/capped
8. Trouble free boardset
9. Controls work well, original or reproduction
10. Clean inside and out.
 
It could go either way repairing somthing is essentially restoring it to working condition. If advertised as completely restored thats a different story.

Well, sort of, in the same way that something is "new" if it's new to your collection.



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Well, sort of, in the same way that something is "new" if it's new to your collection.



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I consider my toy collection to be NIB even though technically they are not new ;-P. I can see how restored is a big claim it does conjure images of perfection.
 
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i got a spare DK sitting here that is getting the full treatment, i'll take lots of pics when i do it. Might help me sell it too!
 
I see restoration as doing only what is necessary to bring the game back to a form presentable in a popular arcade in it's heyday. Sometimes that means full on repaints/new art etc but sometimes it just means a touchup here and there or maybe even nothing. Each game is different in my eyes.

An example for me would be my black widow.. even though I'm the one that drew the artwork and arranged getting the overlays printed that are for sale all over my own black widow still has the original CPO on it because it's just not bad enough to justify destroying it to install a perfect repro.

/b
 
I see restoration as doing only what is necessary to bring the game back to a form presentable in a popular arcade in it's heyday. Sometimes that means full on repaints/new art etc but sometimes it just means a touchup here and there or maybe even nothing. Each game is different in my eyes.

An example for me would be my black widow.. even though I'm the one that drew the artwork and arranged getting the overlays printed that are for sale all over my own black widow still has the original CPO on it because it's just not bad enough to justify destroying it to install a perfect repro.

/b

Agreed. It is a subjective term and should be treated as such.
 
Well, if you're driving a couple miles, no big deal. If your driving a good distance you might be a little ticked off if restored really meant working in the seller's mind.

If the seller is expecting a premium price and is attempting to use restored as a buzzword one might also be disappointed when they arrive and find out that it isn't really worth what you agreed to pay based on the seller's description alone.

I think people lose credibility when they stretch generally accepted perceptions to the limit in order to close the deal.


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I would have a hard time considering something restored just because it had REPRO artwork applied to it. I would rather save the original art if at all possible. Some people will completely redo a cabinet if the art is just a little bit flawed. Sure it looks cool but selling it to someone who thinks it is all original because it says "restored" is kinda like selling a bootleg neo-geo cart to someone as original because they don't know the difference.

I consider my Galaga to be restored. I cleaned it up, touched up the sides, and did some body work and repainting on the front of the cab. The control panel is a bit worn at the curve but it looks better to me with the wear than to have an obvious reproduction in its place. It does work like new, also.
 
To me "restored" infers a restoration was done, not a repair.

I am not arguing that - depending on how good of a specimen you start with - a restoration could be minimal. I agree it could be.

But read the OP..."I got there and the playfield was worn and the cabinet was beat to hell."

If we accept a loose definition of "restored", then people get disappointment.



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To me "restored" infers a restoration was done, not a repair.

I am not arguing that - depending on how good of a specimen you start with - a restoration could be minimal. I agree it could be.

But read the OP..."I got there and the playfield was worn and the cabinet was beat to hell."

If we accept a loose definition of "restored", then people get disappointment.



.

That's definitely not restored. I was just giving my opinion of restored, etc.
 
well the problem with that is, you rarely find a game with perfect art. Repro is as good as original to me.
 
The one on the Right is Un-restored
The one on the Left is Restored
It's easier for me to show you than type 1000 words.

Pacman%20restore%20146.jpg
 
To me "restored" infers a restoration was done, not a repair.

I am not arguing that - depending on how good of a specimen you start with - a restoration could be minimal. I agree it could be.

But read the OP..."I got there and the playfield was worn and the cabinet was beat to hell."

If we accept a loose definition of "restored", then people get disappointment.



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I'd go with the term shoped in this paticular case or even refurbished ,but restored to me is Looking,working and playing like new. New ruber rings and windex doesn't constitute restored in my eyes.
Glennon
 
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